Well, we have got the Daytona 500 out of the way. Now it is on to Atlanta, where the racing will be similar in a sense I feel but maybe a bit less chaotic. Either way, a ton happened during the Daytona 500, so we have to make some adjustments to the 2025 NASCAR Power Rankings before the Ambetter Health 400 this weekend at Atlanta.
Bottom Feeders
Things get stacked up. Lots of trouble. #NASCAR #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/zuLmY5Mh20
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2025
The Daytona 500 really didn’t go how Ross wanted it to with that fortieth-place finish. Ross was a victim of Joey Logano’s throttle body crapping out at the wrong time. Which caused the 42 car to collect Ross, and ended his day. The good news is that Ross should be able to rebound this weekend at Atlanta.
- 14. Brad Keselowski
Much like his counterpart below him on these 2025 NASCAR Power Rankings. Brad got caught up in one of those last big wrecks that wasn’t his fault. When Cole Custer basically dumped C Bell into the wall. Brad has averaged around a 15th-place finish in the last six Atlanta races, so maybe he also can look to rebound this weekend.
- 13. Bubba Wallace
Bubba impressed me with his wreck avoidance for a little while, as well as his maneuvers during the race but like pretty much half of the field he also got caught up in someone else’s dumb decision and finished 29th. He doesn’t have the best recent history at Atlanta so I don’t want to say he can keep climbing just yet but if he can keep his Camry up front this weekend he could have a chance late.
- 12. Kyle Busch
Rowdy looked strong before the chaos. Honestly, I thought if he could’ve avoided the wrecks he was going to be another RCR driver winning the 500 on his twentieth attempt. He was a part of the amazing three-wide finish last year here at Atlanta. Plus he has done pretty well since taking over the 8 car for Richard Childress in the Peach State. In the last four races, he’s finished top ten in all of them. Rowdy’s redemption this weekend?
- 11. Denny Hamlin
Denny honestly kind of underwhelmed me for a majority of the Daytona 500. I expected him to be up front more often but he only led one time for six total laps. Denny also got taken out in someone else’s wreck and finished 24th. I just was expecting more from the three-time winner of “The Great American Race.” Plus heading into Atlanta, sorry to say DH fans but his fall down these 2025 Power Rankings may continue if history repeats itself.
2025 NASCAR Power Rankings Middle of The Pack
- 10. Chris Buescher
Chris didn’t have a spectacular day at Daytona. He didn’t lead any laps but he did grab stage points at the end of stage two. As well as finish tenth once the checkered flag was out. He claimed the sixth most points among drivers. Atlanta hasn’t been kind to Chris either in recent years. He only has two top-fifteen finishes since the repave.
- 9. Chase Briscoe
Well before the news dropped about the modifications to the car. Chase got a top-ten finish at Daytona. After starting from the pole position for Toyota’s first-ever time in the 500. He still gets the finish from what I’m understanding but he is in one heck of a point hole. I thought overall though the driver had a solid race. He doesn’t control the modifications as much I’d like to think anyway so we will give him a small boost this week.
Chase seemed to have a car that could go anywhere on the track he wanted it to direction-wise anyway. Speed didn’t seem to be there as much as I would’ve expected from the 2nd generation driver. He only led once for two laps and he finished fifteenth. He heads to Atlanta where he has won in recent years and really hasn’t finished too awfully bad either. Easily looking to climb up the 2025 NASCAR Power Rankings.
- 7. Kyle Larson
Most of Larson Nation probably expected to see a bit of a drop in the rankings following Daytona. According to Jeff Gordon, Kyle is just in his head too much on these super-speedway races. He finished the twentieth this past Sunday, and I wouldn’t expect to see much better this weekend. In his last six Atlanta races, Kyle has averaged around a 29th-place finish and hasn’t even touched the top fifteen since July of ’22.
- 6. Alex Bowman
I touched on this one in the Post-Daytona 500 episode of SpeedGeeks. Alex held his own against the Penske team for a while. He led five different times for eleven total laps and finished sixth. Solid opening weekend for Alex. He finished fifth in the fall of the race last season so he’s shown he can do it performance-wise. Let’s see if he can avoid the chaos once again and finish well. Who knows he could crack the top five next week.
The Top Five
- 5. William Byron
Back to back, Daytona 500 winner has a nice ring to it. He grabbed stage points at the end of stage one and led a total of ten laps. Other than that though it was a quiet day for William. Not to discredit him but he was able to get lucky enough to avoid all of the late chaos and grab another Daytona 500 win. He can head into Atlanta too with extra confidence knowing he’s won twice on this configuration.
- 4. Joey Logano
Another look at the incident. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/6Y2nK1gYhj
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 17, 2025
Another driver, I touched on in the most recent episode of SpeedGeeks. I mean what the heck? You are a three-time champion and made one of the stupidest moves way too soon in the biggest race of the season. He had the best car all race and then just decided to push the issue. Oh well, Joey isn’t horrible at Atlanta either so he definitely could rebound this week ranking-wise.
- 3. Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell goes into the wall. Ryan Preece flips. Wow. pic.twitter.com/T89oxCUJQz
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2025
Another one of Cole Custer’s victims. I mean for whatever reason the Toyota’s didn’t seem to take pushes well from other manufacturers. So that could’ve played a factor in it as well. We don’t know how C Bell could’ve finished tho because he didn’t have that chance so I won’t fault him too much this weekend.
- 2. Tyler Reddick
I’m not sure how he has done it recently but he won last year at ‘Dega by being in the right places. He grabbed a second-place finish, as well grabbed the fourth most points of all the drivers. It was a good way to start off the season for Tyler and 23XI Racing. He could hope some of that luck continues with him to Atlanta though because he hasn’t faired as well since the reconfiguration with only two top-ten finishes in the last six races.
- 1. Ryan Blaney
A seventh-place finish, twenty-three total laps led, and the most points scored of any driver. Pretty solid day in my eyes for sure. Plus he was one of the strongest cars like his other two teammates. Ryan goes into Atlanta with the best finishing average in the last six races on the high banks. If he can avoid the chaos as he has been able to do in the past It’s going to take a heck of a day from someone else to knock YBR off the top spot.
This Week’s Checkered Flag
Daytona was a solid race overall in my opinion. Some bonehead moves at the end ruined what could’ve been a better finish. It is the Daytona 500 after all though and sometimes our favorite drivers seem to lose their minds at the thought of winning it. Is that an excuse I’m not sure but either way as I said to begin we are onto Atlanta. If you are looking for some picks on drivers to lay some money on you are in the wrong spot! What I will say though is a few drivers look better to me, but overall I expect a lot of the same names to be up front that we normally see since the reconfiguration of Atlanta.
Featured Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
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